4
HealthWays
FOR EVERYONE
AGES 18–39
AGES 40 49
AGES 50 64
AGES 65 AND OLDER
Blood pressure
At least every 2 years At least every 2 years At least every 2 years At least every 2 years
Cholesterol
Every 5 years
starting at age 20
Every 5 years
Every 5 years
Every 5 years
Colorectal health:
ONE OF THREE METHODS
High-sensitivity
fecal occult
blood test (FOBT)
Yearly
Yearly until age 75; after
that, discuss with your
doctor
Flexible
sigmoidoscopy
(with FOBT)
Every 5 years
Every 5 years until age
75; after that, discuss
with your doctor
Colonoscopy
Every 10 years
Every 10 years until age
75; after that, discuss
with your doctor
Diabetes
Discuss with your
doctor
Start at age 45; then
every 3 years
Every 3 years
Every 3 years
Skin exam
Monthly self-exam;
by a doctor as part
of a routine full
checkup starting at
age 20
Monthly self-exam;
by a doctor as part
of a routine full
checkup
Monthly self-exam;
by a doctor as part
of a routine full
checkup
Monthly self-exam; by
a doctor as part of a
routine full checkup
FOR MEN
AGES 18 39 AGES 40 49
AGES 50 64 AGES 65 AND OLDER
Abdominal aortic
aneurysm
Once between ages 65 and 75
if you’ve ever smoked
PSA blood test
(prostate-specific
antigen; not routinely
recommended)
Discuss pros and
cons with your
doctor starting at
age 50
Discuss pros and cons with
your doctor
Sexually transmitted
infections
Discuss with
your doctor
Discuss with
your doctor
Discuss with
your doctor
Discuss with your doctor
FORWOMEN
AGES 18 39
AGES 40 49
AGES 50 64
AGES 65 AND OLDER
Breast health
Mammogram
Yearly*
Yearly*
Yearly*
Clinical breast exam
At least every 3 years
starting in your 20s
Yearly
Yearly
Yearly
Bone density
(osteoporosis
screening)
Get a bone density
test if you’re at
increased risk;
discuss with your
doctor
Get a bone density test at
least once; discuss repeat
testing with your doctor
Pap test
Every 3 years starting at
age 21. From 30 to 39,
every 3 years or every 5
years if combined with
an HPV test
Every 3 years or
every 5 years if
combined with an
HPV test
Every 3 years or
every 5 years if
combined with an
HPV test
Pelvic exam
Yearly starting at age 21;
discuss with your doctor
if you’re younger than
21 and sexually active
Yearly
Yearly
Yearly
Sexually transmitted
infections (STIs)
Get screened for
chlamydia if you’re
24 or younger and
sexually active; discuss
screenings for other STIs
with your doctor
Discuss with your
doctor
Discuss with your
doctor
Discuss with your doctor
If you need a doctor, ValleyCare physicians are
skilled, knowledgeable and compassionate.
Visit
www.valleycare.com/physician nder
to choose
the right doctor for you.
SCREENINGS:
A ScheduleWorth Keeping
It’s
easy to think you can skip regular health screenings if you’re in
good health or your results have always been normal. But screening
tests can help nd diseases early—often before they cause symptoms. And
usually the earlier a disease is found, the easier it is to treat.
Here are some of the major screening tests
recommended for most healthy adults at average risk.
Be sure to check with your doctor to see if these
schedules work for you.
If you’re at increased risk for certain diseases,
such as cancer or heart disease, you may need to be
tested earlier or more often.
Sources:Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality;American Cancer Society;American Diabetes
Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Preventive ServicesTask Force
*Mammography screening recommendation
from theAmerican Cancer Society
W
hen you have congestive heart failure (CHF),
there’s at least one aspect of managing your care
you might nd surprising. It involves sleuthing for
sodium—or salt. Sodium is found in a lot of foods and can
make your condition worse by causing uid buildup and
forcing your heart to work harder.
KEY SOURCES
About 75 percent of the sodium we consume comes from
processed and restaurant foods—and not just things you
might expect, like potato chips or french fries.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA),
top food sources of sodium include bread and rolls, cold cuts
and cured meats, pizza, poultry, soup and sandwiches. Other
foods may contain sodium too. You might not know unless
you go looking.
READ LABELS
It’s a good idea to ask restaurants about low-sodium items
on their menus. And reading labels will help you nd and
choose the prepared and packaged foods that are likely to be
healthiest at home.
Speci c terms you might see on labels, and their meanings,
include:
Sodium-free or salt-free—which means less than
5 milligrams of sodium per serving
Very low sodium—which means 35 milligrams of sodium
or less per serving
Low sodium—which means 140 milligrams of sodium or
less per serving
Reduced or less sodium—a product’s usual sodium
content has been reduced by 25 percent per serving
Light in sodium—the sodium has been reduced by
50 percent or more per serving
Many people think sea salt is a healthier option than other
types of salt. However, its sodium content is really no different.
Generally, the AHA recommends limiting sodium
consumption to less than 1,500 milligrams per day.
W
HERE
’
S
THE
S
ODIUM
?
ValleyCare
Accomplishment
Reducing CHF Readmissions
CHF is one of the most common reasons people age 65 and
older are hospitalized and often readmitted. To prevent these
readmissions, and to help make the transition from hospital to
home a little easier, ValleyCare has established the CHF Discharge
Home Meal Program.
When a patient is ready to be discharged from the hospital, an
interdisciplinary team of nurses, dietitians and cardiac educators,
along with Meals OnWheels, works with the patient to ensure a
successful return to home. Patients in this program can opt to receive
specially developed, low-sodium meals prepared by ValleyCare and
delivered by Meals OnWheels drivers free of charge for the first seven
days after leaving the hospital.
Throughout the month following discharge, patients also receive
phone calls from a certified transition nurse who works with them to
provide education and support lifestyle changes that include healthy
food choices. Weight is also monitored.
Since the launch of the CHF Discharge Home Meal Program,
the rate of readmission for congestive heart failure has dropped
by 25 percent. ValleyCare’s CHF Meal Program is proven to
effectively bridge the gap between hospital discharge and home
self-management for our CHF patients.
Helping Patients With CHF
Regular screenings are an important way to help safeguard your health.
Your doctor can help you decide which tests you need.
